diff --git a/8Knot/assets/color.css b/8Knot/assets/color.css
index 089a39d0..44cd205e 100644
--- a/8Knot/assets/color.css
+++ b/8Knot/assets/color.css
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@
     /* MultiSelect pill colors */
     --pill-default-bg: #555555;
     --pill-default-color: #ffffff;
+    --pill-pending-bg: #B03A2E;
+    --pill-pending-color: #ffffff;
 
     /* Table colors */
     --table-bg-dark: #222;
@@ -84,18 +86,18 @@
    The .searching class is toggled by a callback in index_callbacks.py
 
 
-/* Style for filter pills (grey by default when selected) */
+/* Style for filter pills (red by default when selected but search not executed) */
 
 .mantine-MultiSelect-pill,
 .mantine-MultiSelect-value {
-    background-color: var(--gray-medium);
-    color: var(--color-white);
+    background-color: var(--pill-pending-bg);
+    color: var(--pill-pending-color);
 }
 
 .searchbar-dropdown .mantine-MultiSelect-pill,
 .searchbar-dropdown .mantine-MultiSelect-value {
-    background-color: var(--gray-medium);
-    color: var(--color-white);
+    background-color: var(--pill-pending-bg);
+    color: var(--pill-pending-color);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/8Knot/assets/main_layout.css b/8Knot/assets/main_layout.css
index 49a96103..5db3b717 100644
--- a/8Knot/assets/main_layout.css
+++ b/8Knot/assets/main_layout.css
@@ -473,6 +473,11 @@ button.icon-button.btn:active,
     padding: 0 6px;
 }
 
+.search-submit-button {
+    margin-top: var(--spacing-sm);
+    width: 100%;
+}
+
 .search-controls-stack {
     width: 100%;
     justify-content: center;
diff --git a/8Knot/assets/search_keyboard.js b/8Knot/assets/search_keyboard.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..edb88b7c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/8Knot/assets/search_keyboard.js
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+/**
+ * Cascading Enter key handler for the search bar.
+ *
+ * When the Mantine MultiSelect dropdown has visible options, Enter
+ * selects the highlighted item (Mantine's default behavior — we do nothing).
+ *
+ * When there are no visible options (dropdown closed or empty), Enter
+ * triggers the search by clicking the search button.
+ */
+document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function () {
+    // Use MutationObserver to attach the handler once the MultiSelect input exists
+    var observer = new MutationObserver(function () {
+        var input = document.querySelector("#projects input");
+        if (!input) return;
+
+        // Stop observing once we've found the input
+        observer.disconnect();
+
+        input.addEventListener("keydown", function (e) {
+            if (e.key !== "Enter") return;
+
+            // Check if the dropdown has visible selectable options.
+            // Mantine keeps the dropdown element in the DOM while focused,
+            // so we check for actual option elements instead.
+            var options = document.querySelectorAll(
+                ".mantine-MultiSelect-option"
+            );
+            if (options.length > 0) {
+                // Dropdown has options — let Mantine handle Enter
+                // to select the highlighted item
+                return;
+            }
+
+            // Dropdown is closed — trigger search
+            e.preventDefault();
+            var searchButton = document.getElementById("search-button");
+            if (searchButton) {
+                searchButton.click();
+            }
+        });
+    });
+
+    observer.observe(document.body, { childList: true, subtree: true });
+});
diff --git a/8Knot/pages/index/index_callbacks.py b/8Knot/pages/index/index_callbacks.py
index 86734e3c..f8046201 100644
--- a/8Knot/pages/index/index_callbacks.py
+++ b/8Knot/pages/index/index_callbacks.py
@@ -437,10 +437,11 @@ def dynamic_multiselect_options(user_in: str, selections, cached_options):
     [Output("results-output-container", "children"), Output("repo-choices", "data")],
     [
         Input("search", "n_clicks"),
+        Input("search-button", "n_clicks"),
         State("projects", "value"),
     ],
 )
-def multiselect_values_to_repo_ids(n_clicks, user_vals):
+def multiselect_values_to_repo_ids(n_clicks, search_button_clicks, user_vals):
     if not user_vals:
         logging.warning("NOTHING SELECTED IN SEARCH BAR")
         raise dash.exceptions.PreventUpdate
@@ -867,7 +868,7 @@ def hide_loading_on_landing(pathname):
 # Callback to change pill color when search is clicked
 #
 # This callback implements dynamic pill coloring:
-# - When user selects repos/orgs: pills are grey (pending)
+# - When user selects repos/orgs: pills are red (pending)
 # - When user clicks search icon: pills turn blue (active search)
 # - Default selection (chaoss) starts blue since search is auto-triggered
 #
@@ -875,27 +876,27 @@ def hide_loading_on_landing(pathname):
 # ============================================================================
 @callback(
     Output("projects", "className"),
-    [Input("search", "n_clicks"), Input("projects", "value")],
+    [Input("search", "n_clicks"), Input("search-button", "n_clicks"), Input("projects", "value")],
     prevent_initial_call=True,
 )
-def update_pill_color_on_search(_, selected_repos_orgs):
+def update_pill_color_on_search(_, search_button_clicks, selected_repos_orgs):
     """Update pill color based on search action.
 
     When search icon is clicked, add 'searching' class to turn pills blue.
-    When values change (user is selecting), remove 'searching' class to keep pills grey.
+    When values change (user is selecting), remove 'searching' class to keep pills red.
     """
     if not dash.ctx.triggered:
         return dash.no_update
 
     triggered_id = dash.ctx.triggered_id
 
-    if triggered_id == "search":
+    if triggered_id in ("search", "search-button"):
         # Search button clicked - add 'searching' class to turn pills blue
         logging.info(f"PILL COLOR: Search clicked - turning pills BLUE")
         return "searchbar-dropdown searching"
     if triggered_id == "projects":
-        # Values changed (user selecting) - remove 'searching' class to keep pills grey
-        logging.info(f"PILL COLOR: Values changed - turning pills GREY. Selected: {selected_repos_orgs}")
+        # Values changed (user selecting) - remove 'searching' class to keep pills red
+        logging.info(f"PILL COLOR: Values changed - turning pills RED. Selected: {selected_repos_orgs}")
         return "searchbar-dropdown"
 
     return dash.no_update
diff --git a/8Knot/pages/index/search_utils.py b/8Knot/pages/index/search_utils.py
index 8a34a371..826058ab 100644
--- a/8Knot/pages/index/search_utils.py
+++ b/8Knot/pages/index/search_utils.py
@@ -443,14 +443,14 @@ def create_multiselect_styles():
             "margin": "var(--multiselect-item-margin)",
             "color": "var(--color-white)",
         },
-        # Inline styles for grey pill default color (turns blue with "searching" class)
+        # Inline styles for pending pill color (red by default, turns blue with "searching" class)
         "value": {
-            "backgroundColor": "var(--pill-default-bg)",
-            "color": "var(--pill-default-color)",
+            "backgroundColor": "var(--pill-pending-bg)",
+            "color": "var(--pill-pending-color)",
         },
         "pill": {
-            "backgroundColor": "var(--pill-default-bg)",
-            "color": "var(--pill-default-color)",
+            "backgroundColor": "var(--pill-pending-bg)",
+            "color": "var(--pill-pending-color)",
         },
     }
 
@@ -517,13 +517,20 @@ def create_search_input_section(initial_option):
                 ],
                 className="search-input-wrapper",
             ),
+            dbc.Button(
+                "Search",
+                id="search-button",
+                color="primary",
+                size="sm",
+                className="search-submit-button",
+            ),
             create_alert(
                 alert_id="help-alert",
                 children='Please ensure that your spelling is correct. \
                     If your selection definitely isn\'t present, please request that \
                     it be loaded using the help button "REPO/ORG Request" \
                     in the bottom right corner of the screen.  \
-                    The search is only confirmed when you click the search icon and the pill turns blue.',
+                    The search is only confirmed when you click the Search button (or press Enter) and the pill turns blue.',
                 color="info",
             ),
             create_alert(